Wine Celebration Hosts

V Foundation Wine Celebration Hosts & Friends of Jimmy V

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2015 Hosts: Coach K and Mickie

The August 2015 event at Nickel & Nickel winery brings back popular Wine Celebration host, Mike Krzyzewski, and his wife, Mickie. Affectionately known as “Coach K”, Krzyzewski’s history of winning seasons, superb graduation rates for his players and a basketball team that is as close as family are all attributes that reflect on the man who is now in his 34th season as the head coach of the Blue Devils, Mike Krzyzewski.

Although some still stumble with pronouncing and spelling his name, when people speak of the highest level of success in the college basketball world, the name Krzyzewski (Sha-shef-skee) immediately comes to mind. Coach K further solidified his status in the upper pantheon of coaching on Nov. 15, 2011 when he became the winningest coach in college basketball history with a 74-69 Duke win over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden.

In 34 years at Duke, Krzyzewski, a Hall of Fame coach and 12-time National Coach of the Year, has built a dynasty that few programs in the history of the game can match.

On January 25, 2014, Krzyzewski won his 900th game with the Duke Blue Devils becoming the second head coach to win 900 games with one NCAA Division I men’s basketball program.
In 34 seasons at Duke, Krzyzewski, a Hall of Fame coach and 12-time National Coach of the Year, has built a dynasty that few programs in the history of the game can match.

Entering the 2014-15 season, Coach K owns a 983-306 record in 39 years of coaching, including a 910-247 mark in 34 seasons in Durham. He is already the winningest coach in college basketball history and currently ranks second all-time in wins at one school. Krzyzewski enters the 2014-15 campaign 17 wins shy of becoming the first Division I men’s coach in NCAA history to reach the 1,000-win plateau. We can’t wait to welcome him and his wife back to the V Wine Celebration as hosts and friends.

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2014 Host: Scott Hamilton

The most recognized male figure skating star in the world, Scott Hamilton has won 70 titles, awards and honors, including an Emmy Award nomination and induction into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, and is a privileged member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He captured the world’s attention 25 years ago with his Olympic Gold Medal performances in Sarajevo and has since shared his love and enthusiasm for the sport as a commentator, performer and best-selling author. He further inspires others as a speaker, philanthropist, and cancer and brain tumor survivor. Scott’s courage, determination and dignity have made him a champion in the truest sense of the word.

Scott Hamilton was adopted at 6 weeks old by Ernest & Dorothy Hamilton. When he was 2 years of age, Scott suffered a mysterious disease that prevented him from growing. After being in and out of hospitals and misdiagnosed for years, Scott discovered ice skating at 9 years old, and his passion for figure skating took on a life of its own.

At 13, Scott left home to train for national competition. His mother, Dorothy, a grade school teacher, went back to school and became a college professor to help finance Scott’s expensive training and told Scott, “If you make the commitment, we’ll make the commitment with you.” During Scott’s sophomore year in high school, his beloved mother got sick. Doctors found a lump in her breast. “I’m going to beat this. Don’t worry,” she said. The last time she saw Scott compete was at the 1977 U.S. Senior Figure Skating Championships, his first year at the senior level.

The day his mother died, Scott went for a long walk. In his words, “I was angry and feeling sorry for myself. My prayers were all complaints: ‘God, why did you do this to me? I’m too young to lose my mother. What am I going to do now? How can I go on?’ But then I thought about how Mom dealt with her cancer. She never complained. She never gave up. Instead, she made the most of every minute God gave her. Wasn’t that a challenge I had to take up now?”

@TheVFoundation Raising millions of $$ for cancer research! So inspired to see the "movers & shakers" of Napa fund life saving research!

The first thing after his mother’s funeral, Scott’s coach called to express his sympathy. “Carlo,” Scott said, “I want you to know that a different person is coming back to you to train. He is going to be totally dedicated to being the best he can be.”

In 1980, Scott won his place on the U.S. Olympic Team and for the next four consecutive years, he won both the National Figure Skating Championships and the World Figure Skating Championships. In 1984, Scott won the gold medal for men’s figure skating at the Sarajevo Olympics and was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1990.

In the 1996-97 figure skating season, Scott Hamilton began what would have been a standard 12 months filled with numerous professional competitions, network television specials and touring the country in Stars On Ice, a production Hamilton conceived and co-founded. However, an unexpected event interrupted this routine and forever changed his life, eventually changing the lives of many others. On March 18, 1997, Scott was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which he battled and overcame. Years later, he also faced a brain tumor diagnosis. Scott was happily married to his wife, Tracie, and had a 14-month-old son, Aidan. Scott reflected, “How do I tell my wife?” After what was thought to be a successful surgery, life resumed and Scott & Tracie were blessed with their second son, “Miracle Maxx.” Six years after the first brain tumor diagnosis, the tumor returned and Scott feared he would not survive. After undergoing nine surgeries in 2010, he recovered once again.

In 2011, one year ago to the day that Scott’s life was extended, he joined the V Wine Celebration via video and implored the captivated audience to make a difference during the Fund A Need for brain cancer research. In his closing comments, Scott conveyed that he wished he could be there in person but, “I’ve got to chase my kids around the ice. I didn’t think I’d be saying that a year ago.” Scott’s heartfelt words about making the next miracle possible raised over $1 million in critical funding for brain cancer research.

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2013 Hosts: Coach K and Mickie

The August 2013 event at Nickel & Nickel winery brings back popular Wine Celebration host, Mike Krzyzewski, and his wife, Mickie. Affectionately known as “Coach K”, Krzyzewski’s history of winning seasons, superb graduation rates for his players and a basketball team that is as close as family are all attributes that reflect on the man who is now in his 33rd season as the head coach of the Blue Devils,
Mike Krzyzewski.

Although some still stumble with pronouncing and spelling his name, when people speak of the highest level of success in the college basketball world, the name Krzyzewski (Sha-shef-skee) immediately comes to mind. Coach K further solidified his status in the upper pantheon of coaching on Nov. 15, 2011 when he became the winningest coach in college basketball history with a 74-69 Duke win over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden.

In 32 years at Duke, Krzyzewski, a Hall of Fame coach and 12-time National Coach of the Year, has built a dynasty that few programs in the history of the game can match.

The numbers under Coach K are staggering:

Four National Championships (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010)

Four gold medals as head coach of USA Men’s National Team

927 career wins (most in NCAA history)

854 victories at Duke, including 388 ACC wins

79 NCAA Tournament victories (first all-time)

12 National Coach of the Year honors (eight seasons)

Seven National Players of the Year (nine honors)

Six National Defensive Players of the Year (nine honors)

28 NCAA Tournament bids

25 All-America selections (39 honors)

11 Final Four appearances (T-2nd all-time)

12 ACC regular season championships

13 ACC Tournament championships

486 weeks ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams

425 weeks ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams

104 weeks ranked No. 1 in the country

45 NBA Draft selections, including 25 in the first round

17 NBA Lottery picks

10 Consecutive Top 10 AP Poll finishes (1997-2006)

Entering the 2012-13 season, Coach K is already the winningest coach in college basketball history and currently ranks fourth all-time in wins at one school. We can’t wait to welcome him and his wife back to the V Wine Celebration as hosts and friends.

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2012 Host: Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz, an author, television commentator, motivational speaker, and former NCAA football and NFL head coach. Holtz is the only coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to guide four different programs to the final top 20 rankings. He is also a multiple winner of National Coach of the Year honors. Over the years, the slender, bespectacled Holtz has become known for his quick wit and ability to inspire players. In 2005, Holtz joined ESPN as a college football analyst. On May 1, 2008, Holtz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The August 2011 event at Nickel & Nickel winery marked the return for the third year in a row of popular Wine Celebration host, Mike Krzyzewski. Affectionately known as “Coach K”, Krzyzewski has led the Blue Devils to three NCAA Championships, ten Final Fours (third most in history), and ten ACC Championships over 28 seasons at Duke. He also coached the United States men’s national basketball team at the 2006 world championship and the 2008 Summer Olympics, culminating with the gold medal at the Olympics.

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2008 Host: Dick Vitale

Broadcasting legend, Dick Vitale, college basketball’s top analyst and ambassador, joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season — just after the network’s September 1979 launch — following a successful college and pro coaching career. Vitale is on the Board of Directors of The V Foundation. With Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski and ESPN/ABC analyst John Saunders, Vitale chairs the annual V Foundation Golf Classic. He can be seen and heard with basketball commentary on all of the ESPN networks as well as ESPN.com and other ESPN and basketball publications. He is a member of seven Halls of Fame.

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2007 Host: Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz, an author, television commentator, motivational speaker, and former NCAA football and NFL head coach. Holtz is the only coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to guide four different programs to the final top 20 rankings. He is also a multiple winner of National Coach of the Year honors. Over the years, the slender, bespectacled Holtz has become known for his quick wit and ability to inspire players. In 2005, Holtz joined ESPN as a college football analyst. On May 1, 2008, Holtz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The V Foundation Wine Celebration – 2006 Host: Robin Roberts

Before becoming a respected broadcaster, able to report on sports and hard news with equal skill, Robin Roberts balanced a hugely successful collegiate basketball career while doing well enough in classes to graduate cum laude from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1983. Out of college, she began working at television stations in her native Louisiana, eventually moving to larger and larger markets until she landed a spot as a regular on-air personality at ESPN in 1990 where she worked with Jim Valvano. In addition to hosting the network’s flagship news program, SportsCenter, Roberts contributed her talents to pro football and women’s basketball segments. In 1995, she filled in on ABC’s morning news show, Good Morning America, eventually being named one of the show’s three anchors a decade later. In July of 2007, Robin Roberts announced on air that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has completed all her treatment and doing extremely well.